After 19 wonderful years operating Kodiak Bones & Bugs Taxidermy, it’s with a bit of ambivalence that I’m announcing my retirement from the skull cleaning side of the business. I started this journey at the request of Kodiak Island brown bear guides who wanted the...
If you are maintaining a dermestid colony in heat extremes, it is critical you address the requirements of your bugs during high heat periods. Handling High Temperatures Dermestids can routinely handle high temperatures. However, my experience has shown that at...
When a skull is fully cleaned by dermestids, with no tissue remaining, they will generally mostly abandon the skull for greener pastures. However, there will often be several (perhaps several hundred if there are still hints of meat) dermestids that will remain in the...
Dermestid beetles, colloquially known as flesh-eating beetles, might not seem like the most appealing creatures to raise, but for those who appreciate their unique attributes and biological contributions, these insects are nothing short of fascinating. These beetles...
Taxidermists depend on their dermestid beetle colonies to produce crisp, clean specimens. A single colony may have hundreds to thousands, to tens of thousands of beetles, but it takes time to get your colony to start feeding. It is important to understand dermestid...
Vulture culture is a newer hobby that gets its roots from traditional taxidermy. The main difference is that vulture culture enthusiasts belong to an online subculture of hobbyist taxidermists who collect and preserve the remains of animals that were already killed as...
